The Kleinwalsertal is a high alpine valley in the Allgäu Alps that, despite belonging to Austria's Vorarlberg province, can only be reached by road from Oberstdorf in Bavaria. This geographical quirk - a functional Austrian exclave within Germany - gives the valley a distinctive, slightly off-the-beaten-path character that visitors notice right away.

The valley is almost entirely ringed by high peaks, including the tallest, the Grosser Widderstein (2536 m), along with Hoher Ifen, Kanzelwand, Fellhorn and Walmendinger Horn. Summer here is all about hiking, with 185 km of marked trails winding through alpine pastures, streams and the striking karst landscape of the Gottesacker plateau. In winter the valley transforms into an extensive ski area of over 100 km of pistes, linked to neighboring Oberstdorf. The Breitach river runs the length of the valley, feeding several scenic side valleys.

How to get there

• Oberstdorf (Bavaria) — the only public road (L201) runs via Riezlern, Hirschegg and Mittelberg to Baad, about 20-30 minutes by car, easy route
• Walking route from Oberstdorf — a panoramic path along the Breitach river, moderate difficulty

Good to know

• The area northwest of the Grünhorn - Schwarzwasserbach - Breitach line is under full nature protection
• Sport climbing on the Hoher Ifen and Bärenköpfle is heavily restricted or banned for hunting reasons
• The free Walserbus shuttle service is available to tourists staying overnight and paying the local visitor's tax

Interestingly, the Kleinwalsertal has held customs-exclusion status since 1891, making it a peculiar economic enclave for over a century - traces of this history survive today, such as its separate German postal codes.